FIGURE 1: Marechal, Full Dress, c.1865: Dark blue coatee including collar, cuffs and tail lining (General's tails were without turnbacks, white piping edging the collar, cuffs and front opening, gilt buttons and epaulets, gold embroidery on collar and cuffs, including a gold lace edging just inside the outer piping (scalloped on the cuff). Dark Blue trousers with a broad stripe of gold oakleaf embroidery down the outer seam, black bicorne hat with scalloped gold lace edging, "cockade loop" (no cockade) and end tassels, white feather "plumage". Gold laced waistbelt over a red sash, white gloves. Generals had a distinctive sword with a "Mameluke" style hilt and straight or very slightly curved blade, entirely gilded, including the scabbard, the grips could be either of ivory or ebony, gold lace knot.
FIGURE 2: Brigadier, "Second Uniform", c.1865 Bicorne hat as the last figure but without the gold lace edging, Dark blue tunic with white piping edging the dark blue collar and front opening, no cuffs, gilt buttons and epaulet loops, gold embroidery and inner lace edging on the collar. The gold embroidered device on the lower sleeve is unexplained, it appears to consist of the world globe (or possibly the Imperial crown) above an open wreath, it may indicate a member of the Imperial War Council, a post indicated by gold chevrons and crown worn in the same position according to the 1852 regulations, but this is purely speculation. White linen summer trousers, gold belt, red waist-sash with gold knots and tassels.
FIGURE 3: Officer, Imperial Corps of Engineers, Full Dress, c.1865 Black bicorne hat with gold "loop" and tassels, black over white feather plume, dark blue coatee with black velvet collar and dark blue round cuffs, both edged with white piping, white skirt lining and turnbacks (for all General Staff officers below General's rank), gilt buttons and epaulets, the 3 skirt buttons trimmed with black silk twist in herring-bone pattern, on either side of the collar a gold embroidered "tower" (detail sketch). Dark blue trousers with gold lace stripe, black belt over red waist-sash, the black leather sabretache has an unclear gold device on the flap (probably the "tower" with a crown above).
Officers of Artillery General Staff wore the same uniform with gold flaming bombs on the collar and hat plumes of plain green-black Cock feathers.
FIGURE 4: Officer, General Staff of the 1st Class, Full Dress, c.1865: Bicorne hat with gold "loop" and tassels, red over white feather plumes, dark blue coatee with dark blue collar and cuffs, white piping and skirt turnbacks, gilt buttons, epaulets and collar device of the world globe (see sketch). Dark blue trousers with gold lace stripes, black waistbelt, red waist-sash with gold knots and tassels, white gloves, gold sabre-knot.
Officers of the General Staff of the 2nd Class were distinguished by a gold 5-pointed star on the collar and green over white hat plumes. The "Castle" depicted was the collar badge of Administration and secretaries, unfortunately Barroso has not recorded the colours of their hat plumes.
Uniform Plates
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Figure 1-4 (Marechal, Brigadier, Engineer Officer, General Staff officer)
Figure 5-8 (General, Captain)
Figure 9-12 (Corporal, Engineer, Artificer)
Figure 13-14 (Colonel, Ensign)
Figure 15 (General's Rank Insignia)
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